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Be Prepared
Toronto Photography
This is not kits. Just take few minutes to assemble wings, tank and pilot.
Size: 19: L x 21 1/2" Wingspan
Total Realism Maximum Detail
Description:
"Nawratil" Schiess was one of the most aggressive fighter pilots during the air war over Tunisia and Sicily in 1943. On December 4, 1942 he participated in the annihilation of a formation of twelve RAF Bisley bombers over Tunisia. Schiess claimed his 27th victory in this combat. In February. 1943 he was appointed Staffelkapitan 8/JG 53. On April 5, 1943, when Allied fighters destroyed twenty-four Ju 52 transport aircraft in the air and on the ground in Tunisia, Oberleutnant Schiess downed a Spitfire, thereby achieving his 40th victory. By this time, Schiess still wrote of "wonderful aerial combats" in his letters home.
Even though his Staffel was eventually transferred back to Sicily, the eager Schiess each morning flew to Tunisian airfields., from where he took off on combat missions until evenings, when he returned to Sicily. Early May 1943, as fighting spirit among Luftwaffe airmen in this theater of war soared, Schiess stated that the dogfights gave him a "lot of fun."
In July 1943, his superiors sent him home on leave. Back in action in August 1943 - now as acting Gruppenkommandeur of III/JG 53 - Franz Schiess shot down twelve U.S. planes in twelve days, his last (and 67th) victory a P-38 on August 30. Over the Gulf of Naples on September 2, 1943, two P-38s drove off Schiess's wingman, whereafter several other P-38s inspiring fighter was a hard blow to III/JG 53.